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Louis Johnson slap
- Thread starter Mike88T
- Start date
I don't give a rats @$$ what anyone thinks about slappin' and poppin' in the key of E! I love doing it and will keep on doing it until I drop!! It's the easiest key/string to do it on anyways! It's where it all began!! I'd get bored if everyone did the same line! As long as folks continue to be creative and innovative in the key of E, I don't care! 
I know that slapping, or thumping as it was called in the 'hood, has evolved, but I think that Louis Johnson should be respected as an early master of the style. Someone mentioned Mark King, I guarrantee you that Mark King learned at least some of his technique from Brothers Johnson records. I think that electric bassists need to get a historical perspective like guitarists have. I'm sure no lead guitarist would disrespect Chuck Berry although the average contemporary guitarist learns his licks during his first year or so of play. They all know he helped lay the foundation for what they do. The same is true for Louis Johnson. As for him being funky, I say that he and the other earlier slappers are all funkier than the more advanced slappers like Victor Wooten because they were slapping in a very commercial vein on vocal dominated hits. Old Graham Central Station or Brothers Johnson records were purely dance music, they weren't aimed at musicians who are impressed by hot licks.
- Apr 21, 2000
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- Gallien Krueger for the last 12 years!
Many years ago (decades even), I learned a very valuable (IMHO) lesson from Louis Johnson's Star Licks video.
He suggested to try using as many different plucking techniques as you can think of. I did, and I think it has helped me a lot, because I now have a lot of different right hand techniques that I use often. I think I owe that to Mr. Johnson's suggestion/guidance.
Thanks, Louis!
He suggested to try using as many different plucking techniques as you can think of. I did, and I think it has helped me a lot, because I now have a lot of different right hand techniques that I use often. I think I owe that to Mr. Johnson's suggestion/guidance.
Thanks, Louis!
A friend of mine is a big LJ fan and slaps in that same style. I thought it was cool way back when but even then it struck me how much effort was put into getting that sound. I've been an economy of motion guy since the beginning.
Like LJ, I've yet to hear my friend slap at less than full out volume. That style doesn't lend itself to finesse IMO. OTOH LJ's fingerstyle work is indeed nice.
On the "E" tip, Louis didn't seem to be as stuck on it as most slappers of his time. Stanley Clarke and Larry Graham both wore E out... it was the simplest key to play over a three octave range on a 4 string while keeping some bottom happening. Then you had the Bar-Kays, Confunktion, the Commodores, etc. all wearing E out. I agree that after a while that got old.
After the initial shock of LJ (way after LG and I'm sure he knows it), I was more into his contemporaries like Nathaniel Phillips.
Like LJ, I've yet to hear my friend slap at less than full out volume. That style doesn't lend itself to finesse IMO. OTOH LJ's fingerstyle work is indeed nice.
On the "E" tip, Louis didn't seem to be as stuck on it as most slappers of his time. Stanley Clarke and Larry Graham both wore E out... it was the simplest key to play over a three octave range on a 4 string while keeping some bottom happening. Then you had the Bar-Kays, Confunktion, the Commodores, etc. all wearing E out. I agree that after a while that got old.
After the initial shock of LJ (way after LG and I'm sure he knows it), I was more into his contemporaries like Nathaniel Phillips.
DWBass said:I don't give a rats @$$ what anyone thinks about slappin' and poppin' in the key of E! I love doing it and will keep on doing it until I drop!! It's the easiest key/string to do it on anyways! It's where it all began!! I'd get bored if everyone did the same line! As long as folks continue to be creative and innovative in the key of E, I don't care!
That's the problem... when's the last time you heard something creative and innovative in E?
JimK said:C'mon, Brad-
...it's Con Funk Shun
Kinda cool that "Ffun" is in "F".
I knew it was misspelled, Jim... I just didn't care
sloppy = les claypool..compared to claypool id say louis was quite tight...even tighter was vail johnson and meshell ndegeochello, check out the other vids on this siteLink RemovedJMX said:
Check out the end section of the song, Wind Warriors, by Spyro Gyra on their latest cd, The Deep End! Scott Ambush is a monster! E is still a good key to slap in!Brad Johnson said:That's the problem... when's the last time you heard something creative and innovative in E?
Let me know what you think!
DWBass said:Check out the end section of the song, Wind Warriors, by Spyro Gyra on their latest cd, The Deep End! Scott Ambush is a monster! E is still a good key to slap in!
Let me know what you think!
I don't have that recording... haven't bought any SG in years.
I think the point was that E has been done to death. Again, working in E was the easy thing to do.
I'll post it later.Brad Johnson said:I don't have that recording... haven't bought any SG in years.
I think the point was that E has been done to death. Again, working in E was the easy thing to do.
